Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) and the Four Critical Questions

What do o A PLC is characterized by the belief that the fundamental

students purpose of the school is student learning.
need to o In a PLC, all staff members believe that all students can and will
know and learn. They demonstrate high expectations for all students.
be able to
o A PLC immerses teams of teachers in curriculum and professional
do?
development, building a shared knowledge about what students
need to know and be able to do.
o A PLC establishes, supports, and strengthens high-performing
collaborative teams that work interdependently toward common
student achievement goals.
o A PLC supports teams as they clarify the essential outcomes that
students need to learn for each unit of study.
o In a PLC, collaborative teams meet regularly. They focus their
time on discussing student performance and teaching strategies.
They maximize their time together through the use of ground
rules and norms.
o In a PLC, all staff members feel that they have a responsibility to
support school improvement and they feel involved in the
decision-making processes of the school.
How will o In a PLC, teams of teachers develop and use common formative
we know assessments to monitor student progress on essential outcomes.
when they These assessments are aligned with local and state assessments.
have o Teachers have developed a common understanding about what
learned it? characterizes student performance that is proficient and student
performance that is not proficient.
What will o In a PLC, teachers use formative assessments and other sources
we do of data to identify students who are in need of extra time and
when they support.
havent o In a PLC, if a student is having difficulty learning, there is a
learned it? school-wide systemic response to provide extra time and support
to that student. Intervention is not left to the individual teacher.
o In a PLC, interventions are carefully matched to the individual
needs of students.
o In a PLC, there is a system in place to make sure that all
interventions are frequently monitored and evaluated to
determine if they are having a positive effect. Ineffective
interventions are modified or discontinued.
What will o A PLC provides all students with a rigorous and challenging
we do academic program. Pre-assessment strategies are used to
when they determine if students already know content. Advanced
already instruction and materials are then provided for these students.
know it?
MCPS Professional Learning Communities Institute, 2006